I save hundreds on UK family holidays by staying at these little-known budget gems
WE’VE clocked up at least a dozen visits to youth hostels across England and Wales in the last decade – and it’s saved us thousands of pounds.
From city breaks to countryside cabins, there really does seem to be something for everyone at the Youth Hostel Association, which celebrated 90 years in 2020.
Lots of the hostels are in historic properties with big grounds that are often used to offer glamping and camping options nowadays.
We’ve been back to stay at YHA Stratford-upon-Avon most years since we first discovered its deluxe camping pods in 2016.
These self-contained units include a toilet wet room and a kitchenette, as well as two double beds and a veranda.
You can still use all the main hostel facilities like the self-catering kitchen, TV room and bar, but you have a bit more space to run around if you’re staying outside.
The hostel is in a lovely old building outside the town and we’ve stayed there as a family and alongside friends who also had children, as there are several pods together.
I’ve even had a cheeky girls’ weekend away there, sipping wine on the veranda as the sun sets.
One of the best things about staying in a hostel is all the interesting people you encounter – we’ve met visitors from all over the globe who love a good chat.
And the volunteers and staff keeping the hostels running are also warm and welcoming, keen to share their enthusiasm for the local area.
You can get some incredible bargains at YHA, like staying in a
medieval castle in the Forest of Dean for £50 for a family of five or
spending less than £40 to overnight near the historic city of Chester
during school holidays.
If you’ve got anyone aged under 26 in your party, you’ll get an
automatic five per cent discount and YHA members get another 10 per cent off on top of that.
Membership costs just £15 for the year and only one person in your party needs to sign up.
There’s even a summer sale on at the moment, with 20 per cent off for stays in July and August, or 25 per cent for members.
Gone are the days when staying at a hostel meant sharing a room, doing chores and bringing your own bedding.
Nowadays, the beds are made up for you and you just bring your own towels.
You can cook for yourself or buy a meal if there’s a cafe on site. Lots of hostels even offer a free kids meal when an adult is eating, so you can get a cooked breakfast for a family of four for under £17 if you’re a member.
A YHA stay is a great way to get away for a night or two to show your
kids some of the amazing sights we have right here in the UK.
The buildings are often a destination in themselves, so factor in how long you will need to wander around exploring inside before you even venture out into the nearby town or countryside.
I first used YHA on a school trip to Hadrian’s Wall many moons ago and I’ve since taken my own sons to see the Roman ruins while staying at YHA Ninebanks so they can walk in the footsteps of our ancestors – and their own mother.
The only downside I can think of to hostelling, especially during June and July, is that you may well be sharing your break with school parties getting away on residential.
They add a bit of a buzz to otherwise quiet places, but if you have your own children with you, you’re probably used to a bit of noise anyway.
And it’s interesting to see which places nearby they have chosen to visit and maybe add them to your own to-do list.
Critics worry that some hostel-goers are being priced out of the market as dynamic pricing pushes up the costs of a bed for the night over peak periods.
Some hostels still haven’t reopened fully after the pandemic or can only take group bookings.
And with 90 per cent of its income coming from just two thirds of its properties, YHA has just put 20 hostels up for sale in the hopes that new owners will continue to run them independently.
Still, my family believes that you can’t beat a good YHA stay. It’s why we always head to a hostel whenever we’ve got a night away planned.
It’s a case of use it or lose it and I hope hostelling is here to stay for another 90 years and more.